ONONDAGA COUNTY – A first full week of 2022 packed with area ice hockey action saw West Genesee dominate in its return to action, winning three games in four days by a combined 29-5 margin.
The state Divison I no. 2-ranked Wildcats returned from a 20-day pause with last Tuesday’s 10-2 win over Fulton at Shove Park. Having not played in nearly three weeks, the Wildcats surrendered an early goal but patiently assumed control, leading 4-1 through two periods.
Then WG found its rhythm and sccored six times in the third period, with Ryan Stratton leading the way as he got a three-goal hat trick plus two assists and Ryan Considine added four assists.
Jeremy Keyes had two goals and one assist, with Will Schneid getting a goal and two assists. Ryan Kemp, Liam Burns and Jared Jaeger also converted as Will Shields, Patrick Quinn and Jesse Desena also had asssits.
WG played again on Thursday and handled Liverpool 10-1 in a game that was tied, 1-1, through one period before the Wildcats wore down the Warriors and hit on nine unanswered goals.
Stratton’s spectacular breakaway goal highlighted a five-point night as he, along with Schneid, Jaeger and Keyes, each scored twice. Kemp and David Petrus had the other goals, with Jack Mellen getting two assists.
Without any rest, WG again went on the road 24 hours later to face Cicero-North Syracuse and continued to roll, handling the Northstars 9-2.
It was 3-0 after one period, Keyes having scored twice and Jaeger also getting a goal. Then the Wildcats made it 7-1 during the second period as Michael Hard netted the first goal of his varsity career.
Keyes set the pace, though, notching a three-goal hat trick to go with two assists as Schneid had one goal and four assists. Jaeger gained two goals and one assist as Burns and Jack Gianuzzi both got one goal and one assist. Considine and Joe Snyder had two assists apiece.
Meanwhile, Syracuse was scheduled to meet a challenger to its Division I sectional throne when it faced 8-1, state no. 9-ranked Cazenovia at the Morrisville State IcePlex, but that game got postponed.
Prior to that, the Cougar blasted Watertown IHC 12-1 last Tuesday at the Fairgrounds, peaking when it netted seven goals in the second period to build a 10-0 margin on the Cavaliers.
Jameson Bucktooth, with two goals and three assists, led the Cougars as Vern Cooke, Owen Etoll and Nick Rayfield also scored twice. Owen Mahar and Brady Hubbard both had one goal and one assist, with Will Glass netting the other goal as Colin Johnson got a pair of assists.
